MPC Lobos fall to 11th-ranked Vikings

Monterey Peninsula College head football coach Mike Rasmussen knew his squad had to play just about perfect to have a chance against top tier Diablo Valley.

For a half, the Lobos nearly did, but then it all unraveled.

Following a first half that saw MPC trail by a manageable score of 14-0, the No.11 Northern California-ranked Vikings exploded, scoring 20 in the third quarter alone, as Diablo Valley knocked off the host Lobos 47-3 on Saturday night.

"They're (Diablo Valley) very good. I knew we needed to play out best," Rasmussen said. "I'm disappointed with our performance, but I'm proud of the way we played in terms of effort. The guys never gave up until the end."

Coming into the game, Diablo Valley (3-3), who two weeks ago lost to defending state champion San Francisco in overtime, was averaging over 500 yards of offense per contest, second best in the state. Vikings' quarterback Quinn Kaehler, meanwhile, was No.1 in the state in passing yards, averaging 398 per outing.

Against MPC, the Vikings' pro-style offense resulted in Kaehler completing 20 throws for 378 yards and three touchdowns. His backup, former Gilroy QB Niko Fortino, came in later and went five-for-six for 88 yards and a score.

Despite the Vikings' air show, it was Diablo Valley's defense that really rose to the occasion however. Throughout the game, the Lobos were stymied both running and passing the ball.

At the half, MPC, which completed its preseason with a 1-3 mark, had only generated 79 yards of offense.

"They're as good a defensive team as any other we've played," Rasmussen said. "But we could've played better."

Only down 14-0 at the break thanks to some big defensive plays of their own, including stopping a potential Diablo Valley touchdown after the Vikings' took over on one series at the MPC 23, the Lobos fell apart in the third quarter. In a sign of how things went, Kaehler hooked up with wideout Diante Jackson on a 33-yard scoring play. Just two minutes and seven seconds later, following an MPC punt, the Vikings scored again on a four-yard TD scamper by Kaehler to make it 27-0.

MPC did make some noise late in the quarter when defensive lineman and Pacific Grove alum James Karasek scooped up a fumble and nearly ran into the end zone from 70-plus yards out, but he'd be stopped at the Vikings' four-yard line. Despite the field position, the Lobos had to settle for a 25-yard field goal.

On the ground, eight MPC runners mustered only 105 yards. Starting QB Cole Houston completed 10 throws for only 83 yards and was picked off three times in the second half.

"Turnovers were a big difference in the second half," Rasmussen said.

Despite the woes and frustration, there is a silver lining for MPC. When they begin Coast Conference play next week at Gavilan, they'll be 0-0 like everyone else.

As for just how open the door may be, entering this weekend the Coast Conference had a combined preseason record of 6-22.

"We need to have resolve to fix some things and get ready for conference," Rasmussen said. "We'll have a clean slate, but we need to get better."